Inversion of Configuration at the Phosphorus Nucleophile in the Diastereoselective and Enantioselective Synthesis of P‐Stereogenic syn‐Phosphiranes from Chiral Epoxides

Nucleophilic substitution results in inversion of configuration at the electrophilic carbon center (S_N2) or racemization (S_N1). The stereochemistry of the nucleophile is rarely considered, but phosphines, which have a high barrier to pyramidal inversion, attack electrophiles with retention of configuration at P. Surprisingly, cyclization of bifunctional secondary phosphine alkyl tosylates proceeded under mild conditions with inversion of configuration at the nucleophile to yield P‐stereogenic syn‐phosphiranes. DFT studies suggested that the novel stereochemistry results from acid‐promoted tosylate dissociation to yield an intermediate phosphenium‐bridged cation, which undergoes syn‐selective cyclization.     

Chlorures vinyliques : I. Lithiation directe; radicaux vinyliques

Reaction of E- and Z-4-chlorohept-3-enes (R_ZCl and R_ECl with lithium gives reduction products in addition to the organolithium compound. This reduction occurs with partial inversion of the double bond while retention of configuration takes place when the n-butyllithium exchange reaction is used.A partial inversion also occurs when _Z- and _E-4-bromohept-3-enes (R_ZBr and R_EBr) are formed from exchange with the corresponding vinylic organolithium and dibromoethane.A vinylic radical is postulated to explain the lack of stereospecificity during the formation of the

Li bond in the reaction with lithium.     

Iodine-promoted imino-Diels-Alder reaction of fluorinated imine with enol ether: synthesis of 2-perfluorophenyl tetrahydroquinoline derivatives

Iodine was used to catalyze the hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of pentafluorobenzylidineaniline (C₆F₅CHNAr 1) with enol ethers to afford the corresponding tetrahydroquinolines derivatives as a mixture of cis/trans stereoisomers in moderate yields. These products could also be prepared by one-pot, three-component reaction of pentafluorophenylaldehyde, anilines, and enol ethers under the same reaction condition. Mild and neutral reaction conditions, facile experimental procedure, and low price of iodine should make this method attractive for practical synthesis of many fluorinated tetrahydroquinoline derivatives.     

Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of (Z)- and (E)-bromoenyne: unusual stereochemical outcome

Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of (E)-bromoenyne 1Z with 1-alkyne and tributylvinyl-stannane occurs with retention of the configuration in benzene but with an inversion of the configuration in DMF or CH₂Cl₂. On the other hand, that of (Z)-bromoenyne 1E occurs with retention of the configuration in these solvents.     

Cycloaddition reaction of quadricyclane and fluoroolefins

Reaction of quadricyclane (1) with fluoroolefins of different structure results in stereoselective formation of polyfluorinated exo-tricyclo[4.2.1.0^2,5]non-7-enes. The reaction of a mixture of trans/cis CF₃CFCFCF₃ with 1 is stereoselective and the resulting cycloadducts 7a, b preserve the original alkene stereochemistry. The relative rate constants of cycloaddition of a series of fluoroolefins to 1 under pseudo first-order conditions measured by kinetic NMR at 109 °C provide a kinetic scale of reactivities of the fluoroolefins in this reaction.These relative rate constants correlate well with the number of fluoroalkyl groups connected to the double bond, reaching a maximum for the tri-substituted olefin: CF₃CFCF₂:CF₃CFCFCF₃:(CF₃)₂CC(CF₃)₂:(CF₃)₂CCFC₂F₅ = 1:1.2-1.9:4:138.     

Palladium-catalyzed trans-selective alkynylation-alkylation tandem process for the synthesis of (E)-3-alkyl-1-trialkylsilyl-3-alken-1-ynes

The Pd-catalyzed trans-selective monoalkynylation of 1,1-dihalo-1-alkenes with XZnCCSiMe₃, where X is Br or Cl, can proceed generally in excellent yields in the presence of Pd(DPEphos)Cl₂ or Pd(dppf)Cl₂, and subsequent alkylation with methyl- and ethylzincs can proceed in excellent yields with ≥98% retention of configuration in the presence of Pd(^tBu₃P)₂ as a catalyst.     

Oxazolidinone cross-alkylation during Evans’ asymmetric alkylation reaction

Starting from Evans’ imidazolidin-2-one (1) two compounds were obtained by trans-N-acylation: the expected one 3 with S,R configuration and a second compound 5, that is, related to 3 by the loss of a CH(CH₃)CO fragment. The stereochemistry of 3 was established by NMR spectroscopy, mainly NOE experiments, as expected, the new center has an S configuration, the compound being thus S,R. The structure of compound 5 was determined by X-ray crystallography. A mechanism of formation of 5 was proposed.     

Activation catalytique des réactifs de grignard par les complexes du nickel en sèrie organosilicièe : II. Rèduction des organosilanes fonctionnels avec les rèactifs de grigrand saturès

A silicon deuteride DH exchange reaction demonstrates the reductive characteristics of saturated Grignard reagents catalytically activated by nickel complexes. Application of this reaction to the organosilanes R₁R₂R₃SiX(X=OCH₃,F,Cl) provides a new method for their reduction.

The reduction takes place with retention of configuration at the silicon atom for methoxy. and fluorosilanes. However inversion of configuration occurs in the case of chlorosilanes.The new type of reaction can also be used for the reduction of vinylsilanes

The results show the reductive properties of the Ni-H bond formed by β-elimination of the Ni-R intermediate.     

The rearrangement of cyclopropyl chlorides to allyl chlorides : Stereospecificity in the recapture of the chloride ion

The cyclopropyl chlorides (1 and 2) rearrange on heating to give stereospecifically the allyl chlorides (3 and 4, respectively). In the presence of nucleophiles such as methoxide ion, the corresponding allyl ethers (5 and 6, respectively) are formed. Analysis of the stereochemistry of these products indicates that they are formed from the corresponding allyl chlorides (3 and 4), which are evidently the first-formed products of the reaction even in the presence of strong nucleophiles. The reaction of the allyl chlorides (3 and 4) with sodium phenylthioxide in aprotic non-polar solvents goes predominantly with retention of configuration, but in methanol is normal in giving predominantly inversion of configuration.     

Formation of chiral aryl ethers from enantiopure amine or alcohol substrates

Three methods for the preparation of chiral aryl ethers are demonstrated. N,N-Disulfonylimide derivatives are used in the stereoselective formation of aryl ethers from chiral amines. Nucleophilic attack of aryloxide anions on the cyclic N,N-disulfonylimide derivative of (S)-1-phenylethylamine afforded the (R)-1-phenylethyl phenyl and 2-naphthyl ethers with 83–87 and 70–79% inversion of configuration, respectively. The results are compared with results from alternative methods for the preparation of homochiral aryl ethers from chiral alcohols with complete retention and inversion of configuration, respectively.     

Differentiation of isomeric allylic alkenyl methyl ethers by Raman spectroscopy

The Raman spectra of several pairs of alkenyl methyl ethers of general structure R¹R²CCR⁵C(R³R⁴)OCH₃ and R¹R²C(OCH₃)C(R⁵)CR³R⁴ (R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵ = H or C_nH_2n+1, n = 1-3) are reported and discussed, with a view to establishing whether Raman spectroscopy offers a viable means of distinguishing between these isomeric unsaturated species. Key bands associated with the ν(sp₂CH) and ν(CC) stretching modes are found to be particularly useful in this connection: R¹R²CCHCH₂OCH₃ and R¹R²C(OCH₃)CHCH₂ ethers (R¹, R² = CH₃, C₂H₅) are easily distinguished on this basis. Differentiation of their lower homologues, R¹CHCHCH₂OCH₃ and R¹CH(OCH₃)CHCH₂ (R¹ = CH₃, C₂H₅, C₃H₇), by similar means is also quite straightforward, even in cases where cis and trans isomers are possible. Pairs of isomeric ethers, such as CH₃CHC(CH₃)CH₂OCH₃ and CH₃CH(OCH₃)C(CH₃)CH₂, in which the structural differences are more subtle, may also be distinguished with care. Deductions based on bands ascribed to the stretching vibrations are usually confirmed by consideration of the signals associated with the corresponding δ(sp₂CH) deformation vibrations. Even C₂H₅CHCHCH(C₃H₇)OCH₃ and C₃H₇CHCHCH(C₂H₅)OCH₃ are found to have distinctive Raman spectra, but differentiation of these closely related isomers requires additional consideration of the low wavenumber region.     

Insertion reactions of difluorocarbene generated by pyrolysis of hexafluoropropene oxide to OH bond

ROCHF₂-type fluorinated ethers were synthesized by the reaction of hexafluoropropene oxide (HFPO) with alcohol or phenol. In this reaction, although the insertion reaction of difluorocarbene to OH bond and the nucleophilic attack of alcohol or phenol to HFPO were competition, the insertion reaction proceeded predominantly to give fluorinated ether in the case of low nucleophilic alcohol or phenol. In addition, high reaction pressure is advantageous to the selectivity of the fluorinated ethers in the reaction of HFPO with (CF₃)₂CHOH or C₆F₅OH.     

Cleavage of silicon- and germanium-transition metal bonds. Dependences of the stereochemistry on the nature of the ligands and the geometry of complexes

The cleavages of some new optically active complexes containing CoSi (orGe), MnSi (orGe), ReGe and WGe bonds are described. Electrophiles cleave the CoSi bond with good retention of configuration at silicon, while the MnSi bond is not cleaved under the same conditions. The M′Si and M′Ge bonds (where M'  transition metal) are cleaved by nucleophiles with retention or inversion of configuration. In the case of triginal bipyramidal geometry (cobalt complexes) the stereochemical outcome of the reaction is strongly dependent upon electronic effects, the size of the ligand trans to the CoSi (orGe) bond, and the nature of the nucleophilic reagant, in accord with the general rules for nucleophilic substitution at silicon. In contrast the transition metalsilicon orgermanium bonds in the octahedral complexes of manganese, rhenium and tungsten are always cleaved with poor retention of configuration regardless of the nature of the ligands or the nucleophilic reagent. The results provide the first cases in which the stereochemistry of nucleophilic displacement at silicon is independent of the electronic features of both the leaving group and the nucleophile.     

Asymmetric formal synthesis of (−)-pancracine via catalytic enantioselective C-H amination process

The reaction of silyl enol ethers derived from cyclohexanone with [(4-nitrophenylsulfonyl)imino]phenyliodinane (pNsNIPh) catalyzed by dirhodium(II) tetrakis[N-tetrachlorophthaloyl-(S)-tert-leucinate], Rh₂(S-TCPTTL)₄, provides, after desilylation, N-pNs-protected (S)-β-aminocyclohexanone in up to 72% ee. This represents the first example of the insertion of nitrene species into an allylic C-H bond of silyl enol ethers. Using this process, a new catalytic asymmetric route to an advanced intermediate in Overman's synthesis of the montanine-type Amaryllidaceae alkaloid (−)-pancracine has been developed. The key steps involve (a) a one-pot Rh₂(R-TCPTTL)₄-catalyzed sequential 1,4-hydrosilylation/enantioselective C-H amination of 2-cyclohexen-1-one, (b) N-alkylation and subsequent intramolecular Mukaiyama aldol reaction/dehydration, and (c) a regio- and stereocontrolled reductive deoxygenation of bicyclic enone 27 with migration of the double bond to create the C1/C11a double bond and the stereogenic center at C11 of 3-arylhexahydroindole 31.     

A new strategy for the stereoselective synthesis of unnatural α-amino acids

A new method for the synthesis of racemic non-proteinogenic α-amino acids has been developed, which involves (i) hetero-Diels-Alder addition of ethyl 2-nitrosoacrylate to electron rich alkenes such as enol ethers, enamines and allylsilanes, (ii) NaCNBH₃ reduction of the CN bond in the oxazines thus generated, the stereochemistry of the products being controlled by epimerisation of the thermodynamically less stable isomer to the more stable one, (iii) protection of the N-H group as N-Boc and (iv) finally, N-O bond cleavage of both free and protected products to give proline or bis-homoserine derivatives, respectively. An example with concomitant reduction of the carboxylate group, resulting in the formation of the respective amino alcohol is reported. Applying this methodology to a homochiral enol ether, the protected parent d-proline was prepared in enantiomerically pure form, whereas the asymmetric synthesis of the respective bis-homoserine was unsuccessful.     

Systematic study for the stereochemistry of the Atherton–Todd reaction

Under the Atherton–Todd reaction conditions, the stereochemistry on the reaction of H-phosphinates with different nucleophiles (e.g., amines, alcohols, phenols) was investigated. All reactions took place stereospecifically with inversion of configurations at the phosphorus centers. The reaction might proceed via a phosphoryl chloride intermediate with retention of configuration at phosphorus, followed by the attack of nucleophiles from the backside of Cl to give the substitution products with inversion of configuration at the phosphorus center. A plausible mechanism was proposed for these reactions.     

A new mechanism for the addition of alcohols to disilenes revealed by DFT and ONIOM calculations

Density functional and ONIOM calculations of alcohol and phenol additions to two (tetramethyl and tetramesityl) disilenes were carried out. The dimer of MeOH adds to Me₂SiSiMe₂ more readily than the monomer. The trimer does not afford the adduct, but a zwitter-ionic intermediate. In the (CF₃OH)₂ addition to Me₂SiSiMe₂, H?Si bond formation is more advanced than O?Si bond formation in the transition state (TS). Addition of seven phenol derivatives to Me₂SiSiMe₂ was examined, and the dimer reactions were found to be superior to the monomer reaction regardless of the substituents on the benzene rings. (MeOH)₂ reacts also with Mes₂SiSiMes₂ favorably, and an isomer of the reactant-like complex (precursor) may afford an adduct of different stereochemistry via internal rotations. Generally, the dimer of the alcohol or phenol is the reactant toward the disilenes. Exceptionally, a monomer of p-(dimethylamino)phenol reacts with Mes₂SiSiMes₂ owing to steric congestion by the four mesityl groups.